Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

• 

  S-10 Blazer 1997 - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Nick - December 7 - 10:29 am

  The Blazer I drive has 205,000 miles and still runing strong with the original engine and transmission. I use synthetic Mobil 1 in it since 22,000miles.

• 

  Picmes Experience - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By picme2 - December 7 - 10:00 am

  Excellent performance. ABS system has saved me more than once in highway traffic. Rides smoothly. Excellent vision of the road. Comfortable interior. Towing is effortless. Turning ratio is pleasing considering the length of the vehicle. Needs room for maneuvering (ie. small driveways, close parking lot conditions, etc.).

• 

  Listen to engine - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By PSM450 - December 7 - 10:00 am

  Hey its a nice truck but the engine develped a knocking noise that the dealer says is normal. They wont fix it..

• 

  My Chevrolet Blazer - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By April Rogers - December 6 - 11:27 pm

  This is my second Chevy Blazer and I just love it. It is very comfortable, easy to drive, but most of all it is extremely reliable. I have been driving it for 7 years and have only done my routine maintenance.

• 

  2000 Chevy Tahoe - 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Cedric - December 6 - 6:56 pm

  The transmission went out at 70000 miles. The ABS system failed at 64000 miles. The vehicle was serviced only by the dealership and after numerous trips to complain about the ABS braking problem, it was never duplicated when tested by a service technician. Therefore the problem was never fixed. After the warranty expired, then and only then was the problem identified. I replaced the ABS system, the rotors, brake pads and the emergency brake pad at a cost of $1300.00. The dealership wanted over $2500.00 to fix everything. I want even begin to talk about the transmission being replaced. So, I would not recommend this vehicle to anyone, nor will I ever purchase another Chevy product.

• 

  More fun than the bat mobile......... - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Duane Eilers - December 6 - 5:39 pm

  This has been the most exciting vehicle I have ever purchased and driven and it is with great pride that I highly recommend the new C6....... you literally will wonder why anyone would require more than 400 HP with that new L2 V8. You will love it!

• 

  Best Mid-Size SUV for the Money - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By danvilleca - December 6 - 2:26 pm

  Great all around SUV. Good looking exterior, clean interior design, plenty of seating room, V6, drives smooth, and good saftety ratings. For the money its far superior to the Honda CRV.

• 

  Astonishing - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By satyajit - December 6 - 1:41 pm

  Excellent with all the features which i was looking for and i dont think any other car can compete with this one. Good Job. Keep it up!

• 

  Poor - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Pedro Villalon - December 5 - 10:28 pm

  Tens of mechanical problems, roof lining fell off, engine got stuck in first gear, needed towtruck, hydro sterring wheel pump failed, needed towtruck, had to replace motor and sensor of fan, 4x4 selector on dashboard had problems, jump from one gear to another, had to be replaced, to check the air pressure in the spare tire requieres to lower the tire from its niche. Big problem. Stops lights connectors are tiny wires that with vibration get loose, you have to put them apart to tighten them. Drivers seat is as comfortable as sitting on nails, the rest of the seat are ok. Wheather trim on right front door fell off. Can´t wait to sell it. Too bad it´s a company car and have to wait a year.

• 

  Comfortable ride - 2005 Chevrolet Classic
  By Brandon - December 5 - 7:27 pm

  Ive had a hard time with small sedans finding a comfortable car, being 6 with long legs. The Malibu Classic is just right for me with a power seat and peppy 4 cylinder engine, its the perfect blend of price, comfort, and performance for my taste. Did I mention the price? Hard to beat at $11k with less than 16k miles.